§ Mr. Woolmerasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the total number of indictable offences connected with firearms in England and Wales in 1979; and what was the number and percentage of them that involved air weapons.
§ Mr. BrittanThe information requested is published in paragraph 3.5 and table 3.3 of "Criminal Statistics, England and Wales 1979", Cmnd. 8098 which was issued on 27 November 1980. The total number of offences was 6,547 of which 5,066 involved air weapons.
§ Mr. Woolmerasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the question raised on 13 November by the hon. Member for Batley and Morley regarding the number of indictable offences committed by children and young people with air weapons in England and Wales in 1979, whether the information is now available; and whether he will now give it.
§ Mr. BrittanThe information requested is given in the following table which also indicates the large number of offences for which the age of the suspect was not known.
Serious offences recorded by the police in which air weapons were reported to have been used by age of principal suspect England and Wales 1979 Age of suspect Number of offences Under 14 319 14 and under 16 596 16 and under 17 273 17 and under 18 173 18 and under 21 222 21 or over 221 Age not known 3,262 Total 5,066
§ Mr. Woolmerasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the total number of fatal, serious or slight injuries caused by air weapons in England and Wales in 1979.
§ Mr. BrittanThe degree of injury in serious offences recorded by the police in England and Wales in 1979 in which air weapons were reported to have been used is published in table 3.7 of "Criminal Statistics, England and Wales, 1979"—Cmnd. 8098—issued on 27 November. No information is available on accidental injuries caused by air weapons.